Toothpaste dispenser

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for dispensing the contents of a collapsible tube, such as a toothpaste tube. The toothpaste dispenser includes dual arms affixed to the tube that are used to reposition the contents of the tube and maintain the tube in modified configurations. The toothpaste dispenser of embodiments of the present invention allows for the product contained in the tube to be more readily compressed and dispensed from the tube relative to manual compression alone, thereby leaving less product in the tube when the tube is discarded.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to dispensers for pastes stored in collapsible tubes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a toothpaste dispenser for dispensing toothpaste from a toothpaste tube.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional tube dispensers for pastes, such as toothpaste tubes, are an inefficient means for dispensing a product. Users typically squeeze the tube dispensers causing the product to be extruded. This form of product delivery is extremely inefficient, as manual squeezing of a tube dispenser is typically not effective in removing the entire amount of the product from the tube, and a portion of the product may therefore remain inside the tube when the user chooses to discard it. Moreover, the manual squeezing action can be difficult for users with limited mobility due to conditions such as joint pain or arthritis.

There remains a need in the art for a device that facilitates delivery of product, prevents emptied, coiled portions of the tube dispensers from uncoiling, and which is simple to use and inexpensive to manufacture and produce. These and other needs are met by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an apparatus for dispensing the contents of a compressible tube, such as a toothpaste tube.

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus for dispensing the contents of a compressible tube, comprising: a compressible tube configured to contain toothpaste, wherein said tube comprises a nozzle and an opposing sealed end; and dual arms affixed to said sealed end, wherein said dual arms are configured to selectively reposition the toothpaste within said tube, and wherein said dual arms are configured to manipulate and maintain the configuration of said tube.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a reinforcement rod, wherein said reinforcement rod comprises a slit running partially lengthwise therein for engaging and manipulating the configuration of said tube. In other embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a handle.

The dual arms of embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention may be flexible or may comprise a bendable portion. The dual arms may be permanently affixed to said sealed end of the tube or releasably affixed to said sealed end of the tube. In certain embodiments, the dual arms comprise a polymer. In other embodiments, the dual arms comprise mating hook and loop fastener strips and the apparatus further comprises hook and loop strips affixed to the tube. The mating hook and loop fastener strips and hook and loop strips engage each another to maintain the configuration of the tube.

The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The Figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify these embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention are described in the following detailed description of the specific embodiments and are illustrated in the following Figures, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a toothpaste dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing dual arms permanently attached to a tube;

FIG. 2A depicts a front view of a toothpaste dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing dual arms maintaining the tube in a folded configuration;

FIG. 2B depicts a reverse view of the toothpaste dispenser of FIG. 2A, showing dual arms maintaining the tube in a folded configuration;

FIG. 3A depicts a toothpaste dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing dual arms maintaining the tube in a rolled configuration;

FIG. 3B depicts a toothpaste dispenser of FIG. 3A, showing dual arms maintaining the tube in a rolled configuration;

FIG. 4A depicts a toothpaste dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a reinforcement rod having dual arms prior to releasable attachment to a tube;

FIG. 4B depicts a toothpaste dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the reinforcement rod having dual arms after being used to flatten the tube, thereby repositioning the contents of the tube towards the nozzle of the tube;

FIG. 4C depicts a toothpaste dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the reinforcement rod having dual arms maintaining the tube in a folded configuration.

FIG. 5A depicts a toothpaste dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing mating hook and loop fastener strips dual arms attached to a tube; and

FIG. 5B depicts the reverse side of the toothpaste dispenser of FIG. 5A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to various embodiments of a toothpaste dispenser for dispensing toothpaste from a toothpaste tube. Embodiments of the present invention facilitate the extrusion of toothpaste from the toothpaste tube and maintain the tube in its rolled shape as toothpaste is sporadically delivered.

FIG. 1 illustrates a toothpaste dispenser 10 of one embodiment of the present invention having dual arms 12, 14 that are permanently attached to sealed end 16 at the bottom of tube 18. The tube 18 shown in FIG. 1 is a conventional toothpaste tube having sealed end 16 and a nozzle 20. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the dual arms 12, 14 can be attached to any tube known within the art. The dual arms 12, 14 are each comprised of a flexible or bendable portion, 22, 24 (e.g., score lines, corrugations), respectfully, to facilitate placement of the dual arms 12, 14 about the tube 18. The user may employ the dual arms 12, 14 to fold the tube 18, as shown in FIG. 2A, or alternatively, to roll the tube 18 around sealed end 16, as shown in FIG. 3A. During the folding or rolling processes of embodiments of the present invention, the product contained in tube is more readily compressed and dispensed from the tube than by manual compression alone, thereby leaving less product in the tube when the tube is discarded.

As depicted in FIGS. 2A-B and 3A-B, once the user folds or rolls the tube 18, one or more of bendable portions, 22, 24, can be bent or manipulated so that one or both of the dual arms 12, 14 are positioned around the folded or rolled portion of tube 18, so that tube 18 will retain its modified form. The user can then gently manually compress tube 18 to dispense the contents of the tube, e.g., toothpaste. As such, the dual arms 12, 14 assist in dispensing the product, e.g., toothpaste, from the tube 18. When the compressing of the tube 18 becomes too burdensome for the user, the user can repeat the rolling and folding process until the majority of the product is extruded from the tube 18.

In some embodiments of the present invention where the toothpaste dispenser is permanently attached to the tube, attachment can be achieved by the manufacturer during formation and processing of the tube. For example, in certain embodiments, the dual arms are integral to the tube and are comprised of the same material as the tube. In other embodiments, the dual arms are permanently attached using an adhesive or other bonding agent, or using a mechanical attachment device (e.g., screw, tack or staple).

The present invention also encompasses embodiments where the toothpaste dispenser is releasably attached to the tube. In some such embodiments, the dual arms are releasably affixed to a tube using a relatively weak adhesive or a mechanical attachment device (e.g., clamp, mating hook and loop fastener strips). In certain embodiments, the relatively weak adhesive is one that allows for repeated removal and adherence of the toothpaste dispenser. Use of the releasably attached toothpaste dispenser of embodiments of the present invention allows the user to remove the toothpaste dispenser after the product has been dispensed from tube and utilize or re-use the device on a different tube. Another embodiment of the releasably attached toothpaste dispenser is shown in FIGS. 4A-4C.

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate a toothpaste dispenser 40 comprising a reinforcement rod 42 having dual arms 44, 46 that is separate from the tube 48, and is releasably attached to the tube 48 as needed by the user. FIG. 4A depicts toothpaste dispenser 40 of one embodiment of the present invention prior to engagement to the tube 48. The reinforcement rod 42 includes a slit 50 by which to engage the tube 48. The slit 50 also serves to compress and flatten tube 48 thereby repositioning the contents of the tube as the reinforcement rod 42 traverses the body of the tube 48, one embodiment of which is shown in FIG. 4B. The dual arms 44, 46 each include a bendable portion, 52, 54, which allows the reinforcement rod 42 to bend in either direction around the body of the tube 48 to maintain tube 48 in a folded or otherwise modified form, as shown in FIG. 4C.

The toothpaste dispenser of the present invention may be comprised of any suitable material known in the art. Exemplary materials include metals, ceramics, plastics (e.g., polypropylene), fabrics, flexible materials, and natural materials. In certain embodiments, the toothpaste dispenser is comprised of a mating hook and loop fastener strips. As shown in FIGS. 5A-B, the toothpaste dispenser 50 includes dual mating hook and loop fastener strips 52, 54 affixed to sealed end 56 at the bottom of tube 58. The tube 58 shown in FIGS. 5A-B is a conventional toothpaste tube having a sealed end 56 and a nozzle 60 and hook and loop strips 62, 64 affixed to one side of the tube. As the toothpaste is used, the tube 58 is folded, or the sealed end 56 is rolled to reposition the contents of the tube towards the nozzle 60. The mating hook and loop fastener strips 52, 54 engage the hook and loop strips, 62, 64 upon the folding or rolling of the tube 58 and effectively maintain the modified configuration of the tube 58. The hook and loop strips 62, 64 and the mating hook and loop fastener strips 52, 54 can be of any suitable dimension. In some embodiments, the strips have a length sufficient to extend approximately along the length of the tube 58 and a width large enough to hold the tube surfaces together.

The toothpaste dispenser of the present invention may be of any size, shape and color. In some embodiments of the present invention, the toothpaste dispenser includes a handle or grip to facilitate manipulation of the device. In addition, the dual arms of embodiments of the present invention are not limited to being positioned at the sealed end of the tube. Rather, in some embodiments, the dual arms can be positioned at one or more locations throughout the body of the tube.

Although the dispenser of embodiments of the present invention is indicated for toothpaste, the contents of the tube can be any product suitable for delivery from a compressible tube. The tube may contain a variety of products, such as toothpaste, gel, cream, liquids, medicinal products, lotions, salves, cosmetics, food products, or the like.

The invention described and disclosed herein has numerous benefits and advantages compared to conventional devices. These benefits and advantages include, but are not limited to ease of use and monetary savings. Embodiments of the present invention provide an alternative means for dispensing products contained in tubes for users with joint pain, arthritis or other condition in which conventional manual compression of the tube is problematic or burdensome. In addition, the present invention allows the user to more completely dispense the product contained within the tube, thereby providing the user with monetary savings as the present invention allows for more complete use of the contents within the tube. While the invention has been described in terms of various preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, substitutions, omissions and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. An apparatus for dispensing the contents of a compressible tube, comprising: a compressible tube configured to contain toothpaste, wherein said tube comprises a nozzle and an opposing sealed end; and dual arms comprising at least two bendable segments and at least two unbendable segments, wherein said dual arms are permanently affixed to said sealed end, wherein said dual arms are configured to selectively reposition the toothpaste within said tube, and wherein said dual arms are configured to manipulate and maintain the configuration of said tube. 2-5. (canceled)
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dual arms comprise a polymer.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dual arms comprise mating hook and loop fastener strips.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising hook and loop strips affixed to said tube, wherein said mating hook and loop fastener strips and hook and loop strips engage each another to maintain the configuration of said tube.
 9. (canceled)
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle.
 11. An apparatus for dispensing the contents of a compressible tube, comprising: a compressible tube configured to contain toothpaste, wherein said tube comprises a nozzle and an opposing sealed end; and a single-component reinforcement rod, wherein said reinforcement rod comprises a slit running partially lengthwise therein for selectively repositioning the toothpaste within said tube and engaging and manipulating the configuration of said tube, wherein said tube is positioned within said slit, and wherein said reinforcement rod comprises dual bendable portions.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reinforcement rod is permanently affixed to said sealed end of the tube.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reinforcement rod is releasably affixed to said sealed end of the tube. 